Terry Mills resigns from parliament

Mr Mills said he would continue to work in the interests of the Northern Territory, in a role connected to the Australian-Indonesian relationship.

"I have concluded that it is time to go and to provide the opportunity for another to serve as the Member for Blain," Mr Mills said in an emotional speech to parliament.

Fellow CLP MP Lia Finnochiaro cried in parliament and said that many had been ashamed at the treatment of Mr Mills, who was dumped as leader while on a trade mission to Japan and replaced with the current Chief Minister Adam Giles.

"There are a lot of people who have always loved you and supported you," she said

But less than 24 hours after his speech fellow MP Kezia Purick questioned how Terry Mills led while working as chief minister.

"Some of my clashes with Terry over the past was about some of the decisions that he and the cabinet and the government made, that directly impacted into the rural area and into my constituents' lifestyles and way they went about their business and I didn't agree with it," Ms Purick told the ABC.

"I think part of my issue had been questioning his leadership style, and also the impact into the rural area," Ms Purick said.

Mr Mills led the CLP into government in 2012, after reaching out to rural voters around the Territory who had traditionally voted for Labor.

He made several controversial decisions while chief minister, including a decision to raise power and water prices substantially.